


At Once Returned

by shewritesall



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Civil War Team Captain America, F/M, General Ross Sucks, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Civil War (Marvel), Team Cap - Freeform, The Raft Prison (Marvel), romanogers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-06 14:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 17,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16389557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewritesall/pseuds/shewritesall
Summary: It's been a year since the battle of Leipzig and the fugitive Avengers may be heading home soon.  It's been rough on everyone: moving from place to place without much notice and not knowing if the others—Clint and Scott who chose to go home and serve house arrest or Bucky who remained in Wakanda—were alright.  However, between Natasha, Steve, and Tony, they just might have figured out a way to get everyone reinstated as Avengers and return to their normal lives.  If only it were that easy.Rated Teen for mentions of torture.





	1. Chapter 1

Steve woke up to the soft pitter patter of rain on the tin rooftop.  He sighed, glancing outside to see it was still too dark out to be early morning.  Sam was still passed out beside him on the small bed, pressed up against the wall in a way Steve was sure couldn't be comfortable.  Rolling over, he turned to see if Natasha was still asleep as she always woke up around 6AM no matter how tiring the night before had been.  He blinked when he saw an empty bed and pushed himself into an upright position.  Wanda was out with Vision for the weekend, he knew that, but there was no way it was already 6AM if the light outside was anything to go by. 

Carefully, trying not to wake up Sam, Steve climbed off the bed and tiptoed out of the room.  He shut the curtain behind him and looked around the living area.  It was small and the only things to sit on were stumps or logs.  The dirt floor had a fire pit in the middle where they would cook any animals they managed to trap or food one of the girls could steal.  The entire hut itself was tiny, but they didn't mind.  This shelter had a roof, so a missing floor was fine by them. 

"Nat?"  Steve whispered, blinking as he tried to see better in the dark.  The room was just as empty once his eyes had adjusted as it had been when they weren't.  Frowning, he pried open the door to look through the nearby forest.  Two steps in front of the door stood Natasha.  The surrounding area was pitch black so he wasn't sure what she was doing, but it looked like she was looking out through the forest. 

"Natasha?"  Steve asked softly.  She flinched at the sound, something Steve hadn't expected.  He'd thought she'd heard him come out, but apparently not.  "What's on your mind?"  There was a pause as Natasha opened her eyes.  She looked out into the forest then down at her soaking body as if just realising she was outside. 

"It's raining,"  she said, lifting an arm to see the water drip off of it.  Steve nodded and took two steps forward so he was standing right beside her. 

"Yes, it is,"  he replied, raising an eyebrow.  "Why are you standing out in it?"  Her blonde hair stuck to her face as she turned to look at him. 

"It's relaxing,"  she answered.  She pulled her hair back off her face and closed her eyes again, a small smile creeping onto her face. 

"It won't be after you've got a cold,"  Steve said.  She shrugged and opened her eyes again.  It was a familiar script to them.  Every time it rained, Natasha could be found outside.  Once Steve found her, they would repeat the same thing every time.  Steve wasn't sure why, but he refused to stray from his lines in case it somehow ripped the universe in half. 

They were both quiet for a while as the rain continued to fall.  The dripping from the tin roof to the ground below accompanied with the patter of the droplets hitting the trees and shelter created a soft song, becoming more and more beautiful the longer Natasha listened.  After a few minutes, she was swaying gently along with it, eyes closed as muscle memory took over.  The dance started out small, her arms and feet barely moving, but eventually she was all in.  The smile on her face grew the longer she danced, her toes digging into the wet earth.  Suddenly she stopped, dropping down from her tip toes onto her full foot and turning to face Steve. 

"Dance with me,"  she invited, holding out her hand.  With a roll of his eyes, Steve took her hand in his and wrapped his other around her soaking wet back.  Her left palm rested on his t-shirt and she led them both through a smooth waltz.  Steve no longer stepped on her toes after she'd given him multiple dance lessons, but he never took the lead.  That was for Natasha to do since she seemed to know what the music called for. 

"You're going to be sick tomorrow,"  Steve told her, spinning her around then pulling her back in. 

"It's worth it,"  she replied with a grin.  "Besides, what else do we have going on that's more important?" 

"Sleep,"  a groggy voice came from the open door.  Natasha glanced over Steve's shoulder and Steve craned his head to see Sam blinking blearily at them from the door.  "What time is it anyway?  Shouldn't we all be curled up inside, dreaming about sugar plums, guns, or whatever else makes you happy?"  he asked. 

"It's almost 4AM,"  Natasha told him, dropping her hands from Steve's.  Steve refused to acknowledge the irritation he felt towards Sam after being interrupted.  How was Sam supposed to know to leave them alone? 

"Then why in Odin's name are the two of you out here dancing like we're in a scene from the Sound of Music?"  Sam asked. 

"It was raining,"  Natasha said bluntly.  Sam seemed confused as to how the fact that it was raining made everything alright.  However, he didn't say anything as Natasha returned to the shelter, Steve following close behind.  Sam stepped out of their way and rubbed his eyes. 

"So I can go back to sleep?"  he asked, looking at the two in front of him.  "We aren't racing out of here because Ross found us?" 

"Yes, Sam,"  Steve nodded.  "You can go back to sleep."  Sam didn't need to be told twice before he was headed back behind the curtain that separated the sleeping quarters from the living quarters. 

"I'm going to get Wanda,"  Natasha told Steve quietly.  He frowned, about to ask why but she beat him to it.  "Vision messaged me to say he had to return earlier, so she would be back sooner." 

"I'll come with you,"  Steve offered.  Natasha shook her head, walking into the bedroom and grabbing the first jacket she saw. 

"Stay here with Sam,"  she said.  Steve was about to object more but she shushed him with a sharp look.  "We'll be fine.  Just make sure there's a fire going when we come back." 

"Are you bringing back food as well?"  Steve asked.  No stores were going to be open when she reached the town in an hour. 

"Nah,"  she replied, slipping the jacket (that happened to be Steve's) over her shoulders.  "I don't want to get sick from the rain."  Before Steve could come up with a retort, she was slipping out the door and into the dark forest, pulling the jacket hood over her head and leaving the two boys behind. 


	2. Chapter 2

Wanda was not excited about having to leave Vision earlier than planned.  Of course, she couldn't control the fact that General Ross had planned a surprise visit to the Compound and he had to be back in three hours or risk raising suspicion.  They were so close to being cleared to return, she didn't want to risk it even if it meant she could have ten more hours with Vision.  Thankfully, he'd agreed to take the train back with her.  She knew Natasha and Steve wouldn't appreciate the fact that she let Vision know what city they were near, but she trusted Vision not to let it slip. 

"It will only be a few more weeks,"  Vision promised, looking down at their joined hands as they sat on the train.  "I will be back to get you once everything is settled." 

"Promise?"  Wanda asked.  Vision looked up at her and smiled softly. 

"I promise,"  he replied.  She smiled back and leaned her head on his shoulder.  The train ride would last another hour and they were completely alone in their compartment, but she enjoyed the silence.  She tried not to fall asleep, not wanting to waste her time with Vision, but she woke up to his voice in her head, telling her they had arrived. 

"I don't want to go,"  she moaned, sitting up and stretching.  She looked out the window to see the street lights nearing. 

"It will be no more than two weeks,"  Vision reminded her.  She sighed and let him pull her to her feet once the train stopped.  They walked onto the platform and hurried out of the station.  It wasn't busy yet, but there were people out and about and Wanda didn't want to risk being recognised.  Even with her hair a little lighter, it wasn't hard to figure out who she was if you were looking for her. 

"Did you contact Natasha?"  Wanda asked, letting Vision leading her onto the dark sidewalk and away from any street lamps. 

"Yes, she said you were to meet her by the fountain,"  Vision replied.  Wanda turned in the direction of the fountain but wasn't yet able to see it.  She knew what Natasha was talking about though.  "I guess this is goodbye?"  Vision asked.  Wanda nodded, reaching up and hugging him tightly. 

"I'll miss you,"  she muttered, her voice muffled by her shoulder. 

"I'll miss you, too,"  he said.  As he pulled away, he kissed her cheek quickly.  Wanda felt her face heat up but refused to let it bother her.  "Goodbye, Wanda." 

"Goodbye,"  she said softly.  She slowly released his hand then hurried off towards the fountain.  She refused to turn back around and see if Vision was still there.  If he was, she might not be able to force herself to continue towards the fountain. 

It didn't take long for her to reach the fountain and when she did, she easily spotted Natasha.  The blonde was standing by it, looking down into the water with her hood down even though it was pouring rain.  Wanda had her hood on and her scarf wrapped warmly around her neck, her hands covered in knit mittens and shoved in her pockets.  She approached Natasha quickly and smiled weakly.  Natasha pulled her in for a hug, something Wanda had become accustomed to.  Before the whole disaster with the Accords, she'd thought Natasha hardly ever showed affection.  Once on the run, though, Wanda learned Natasha was one of the most tactile people she'd ever met, always needing to touch someone to make sure they were truly alright. 

"I'm sorry you had to come back early,"  Natasha said, pulled away from Wanda.  Wanda gave a small smile and shrug. 

"It's only two more weeks before we can return,"  she reminded Natasha.  "I'm alright with the wait I suppose." 

"Still,"  Natasha said.  They started walking away from the fountain, going down dark streets and staying quiet rather than talking.  Even though it was dark outside, they didn't want people looking to them and recognising them. 

The walk back to the shelter took just over an hour.  It was far enough out of town, no one bothered them.  However, it was close enough that none of them minded walking to get produce they couldn't otherwise get.  Sometimes their shelters were two hours out of town, making the trip less enjoyable.  Whenever they managed to find a good hiding spot that was close to a town but out of the way, they stayed there longer than they often felt safe doing.  They hadn't been caught, though, so they didn't mind. 

"Sam is probably still asleep,"  Natasha said when they were about fifteen minutes away.  "Steve will have a fire for us, though." 

"Oh,"  Wanda said, thinking about the warmth.  "That sounds nice." 

"Yes,"  Natasha agreed, rubbing her fingers together.  "I'm going to check the traps, but you can continue on to the shelter." 

"Alright,"  Wanda replied.  Natasha slipped off deeper into the woods to check the animal traps she'd set up while Wanda stumbled through the forest.  It was still dark out even if it was almost 6:30AM.  Due to the rain clouds overhead, Wanda couldn't see her path very well.  Soon enough, she came to the small shelter and pushed open the door.  Just as Natasha had said, Steve sat by the fire pit as a couple log burned. 

"Welcome back,"  he said.  Wanda smiled and pulled off her jackets and scarf.  She hung them on the rope Natasha had strung up to dry clothes on then joined Steve beside the fire.  "Where's Natasha?" 

"Checking her traps,"  Wanda told him.  He nodded, stoking the fire and causing a few sparks to fly up.  Wanda grinned and held her hands out to the fire.  She could never truly express just how glad she was that Steve knew how to make a good fire. 


	3. Chapter 3

Whether calling Tony was a good idea to do while on the run or not, Natasha found herself calling him.  She'd kept in close contact with him even before they really started working on fixing the Accords.  After he'd given her a phone that changed numbers every time it was used, she had called him regularly.  He kept her up to date on everything that was going on and even though Ross had no idea, she controlled what he did simply by talking to Tony who in turn talked to Ross.  Of course, Steve, Sam, and Wanda knew she called the billionaire every week, she wasn't one to hide that from her teammates.  They just didn't know how much input she'd had when it came to the Accords. 

"You're sure it's ready?"  she asked, cutting a squirrel from one of her traps.  "It's two weeks sooner than we expected." 

"Yeah, I know,"  Tony said.  "Rhodey convinced the president though, so the process was sped up and the new Accords are being printed today." 

"So we can return to the Compound tomorrow?"  Natasha asked, pausing her work on the squirrel to clearly hear Tony's response. 

"Technically, yes,"  he said, sounding hesitant.  Natasha waited.  "However, you might wait a week just so the public dies down a bit and we are certain everything's clear." 

"Alright,"  Natasha agreed.  It was good news, but she wasn't going to risk getting imprisoned by rushing back to the Compound.  "Keep me updated.  I want to know everything that's going on." 

"You got it, Red,"  Tony said.  Natasha smirked, imagining his face when she arrived back at the Compound with blonde hair rather than red.  "Just, stay out of trouble, will you?" 

"Always,"  she replied.  Before Tony could call her out on that, she hung up.  She slipped the phone into the pocket of her jeans and tossed her short hair out of her face.  The rain was not relenting and neither was the rope around the squirrel.  She sawed on the rope with her knife, trying to get it to release the squirrel while she thought about the Accords.  Steve, Wanda, and Sam wouldn't know how close they were until she told them.  Rather than getting their hopes up only for Tony to call and tell them to wait, she decided to let them continue thinking it would be two or three weeks then surprise them. 

"Stupid squirrel!"  she growled, yanking her knife through the rope.  Her hand on the rope slipped due to the water on it right as she cut the rope.  Instead of the knife simply cutting the rope, it sliced her hand as well.  Cussing in Russian, she dropped her knife and investigated her hand.  Unfortunately, it was bleeding enough she was certain it would need stitches.  Muttering angrily, she ripped the cuff off of Steve's jacket, knowing he wouldn't care as long as she didn't get hurt worse, and tied it as best she could around the cut.  She grabbed the squirrel and picked up her knife, heading back towards the shelter. 

It took her about twenty minutes to return to the hut.  The cloth around her hand was not only soaked from the rain, but also from blood that was beginning to drip off the cloth.  She didn't bother ripping the other cuff off since she could see the hut up ahead, so she hurried her pace.  When she walked inside, she managed to hide her hand from Steve and Wanda who were talking quietly around the fire. 

"Here's a squirrel,"  she said, handing it to Steve.  She started towards the bedroom, hoping to find some sort of string and a needle that she could use on her hand. 

"Only one?"  Steve asked, looking at the soaked animal. 

"Didn't check the other traps,"  Natasha answered, pulling back the curtain and walking over to her small bag of things.  She dug around, quickly finding the small medical kit and opening it.  She and Wanda had managed to steal supplies here and there, which was good because otherwise the kit would be completely empty.  Sighing, she sat on the edge of the bed and unwrapped her hand.  It wasn't bleeding as profusely as earlier, but it was still bleeding. 

"Why does it have blood on it?"  Steve asked from behind the curtain.  Natasha ignored him, instead finding the old rag and gingerly dabbing the blood from her hand.  "Nat?"  Steve stepped through the curtain to see Natasha wiping blood from her hand. 

"What?"  she asked, turning to face him and hiding her hand. 

"What happened?"  Steve asked, walking over to her.  When he saw the blood covering her hand and the drops on her jeans, he frowned.  "God, Natasha, what did you do?" 

"The squirrel wasn't coming, so I had to cut it out,"  she explained, holding the rag to the cut.  "My hand slipped." 

"I can see that,"  Steve muttered.  He took her hand and uncovered it.  He grimaced at the sight, but Natasha wasn't bothered.  She let him grab the thread and needle, watching as he hesitated before starting to sew her hand back together. 

"Watch it,"  she hissed as he accidentally jabbed the cut instead of the skin around it. 

"Sorry,"  Steve said.  Behind them, Sam groaned and the bed creaked as he rolled over. 

"You two are so loud,"  he complained.  Natasha rolled her eyes but Steve didn't look up from his work.  "What are you doing this time?"  He sat up to see Steve stitching Natasha's hand back together and shook his head.  "Nope, I'm out,"  he said, leaving the bedroom quickly.  Steve only had to do a couple more stitches before he was done and wrapping Natasha's hand with a clean gauze pad. 

"Better?"  he asked. 

"I was fine before,"  she told him.  He rolled his eyes and the two stood up.  "I'm going to go check the other traps." 

"Don't cut yourself,"  Steve warned.  She just ducked under the curtain and headed back outside without saying anything, leaving Sam and Wanda to wonder what had happened. 


	4. Chapter 4

Sam wasn't an idiot.  He could tell that during the year he'd been on the run with Natasha, Steve, and Wanda, something had changed.  Sure, Wanda was still head over heels in love with Vision, but it wasn't hard to see Natasha and Steve were following the same path.  As much as Sam wanted to say it disgusted him, he couldn't.  It was mostly just annoying since neither one had said anything about the obvious love they had for each other.  Sam was beginning to go crazy just watching the two. 

"I'm just saying,"  Steve said.  Sam rolled his eyes as Wanda drew in the dirt floor.  "If you hadn't gone out in the rain for hours yesterday, you wouldn't be sick."  Natasha sent Steve a glare so venomous Sam wanted to keel over and die.  Steve hardly blinked. 

"I like the rain,"  Natasha said, her voice scratchy due to her cold.  "Besides, it doesn't usually make me sick.  I bet it's the squirrel." 

"Usually we aren't on the run from the government,"  Steve retorted. 

"Speak for yourself,"  Natasha replied.  Wanda jabbed Sam in the arm with her stick and Sam pulled his focus away from the two arguing in the bedroom.  Wanda had finished her drawing and it was now time for Sam to guess what it was.  He had three tries before he lost his point and Wanda won again.  Right now, they were tied and he refused to lose for the third time that day.  Looking down at the drawing, though, it was so obvious Sam almost couldn't hold back his snort of laughter.  A circle with a star in the middle (clearly Steve's shield) was being held by a stick figure who was talking to a spider. 

"Steve and Natasha fighting,"  he said.  Wanda shook her head with a smirk and Sam frowned.  "Yes, it is!  It's so obvious!" 

"It's not Steve and Natasha,"  Wanda told him.  He growled angrily and tried to think harder about it. 

"Steve smashing a spider with his shield while talking to it,"  he guessed.  Wanda raised an eyebrow.  "What else could it be?  It's clearly the first one!" 

"No, it's not,"  Wanda insisted.  "And it's not Steve trying to smash a spider, either."  Sam huffed, thinking long and hard about his third guess.  This would either make him win or lose and Wanda's stupidly obvious drawing was going to make him lose. 

"Steve sharing his shield with a spider,"  he said, out of good ideas.  Wanda grinned as she gave herself the winning point and Sam yelled in frustration.  "What was it?" 

"Captain America and Black Widow arguing,"  she said.  Sam's jaw dropped and he tried to explain that he'd said that, but Wanda interrupted him with,  "No, you said Steve and Natasha, not Captain America and Black Widow.  There's a difference." 

"What difference?"  Sam yelled. 

"Natasha is nice and friendly,"  Wanda explained.  Sam scoffed and Wanda glared at him almost as hard as Natasha could.  "Black Widow will skin you alive." 

"Fine,"  Sam conceded, taking the stick from her and smearing the drawing.  "My turn to start."  Wanda shrugged and watched as he drew a bird pooping on a girl's (Wanda's) head.  He looked up and smirked at Wanda who simply smirked back. 

"A bird pooping on my head,"  she said. 

"How did you know?"  Sam demanded.  She looked at him for a moment then leaned forward as if she was about to tell him a secret. 

"I can read minds,"  she whispered.  Sam screamed in frustration. 

"Shut up!"  Natasha and Steve yelled from behind the curtain.  Sam ignored them and pointed accusingly at Wanda. 

"You cheater!"  he said.  "You've been cheating this whole time, therefore, I win all the games by default."  Wanda's jaw dropped as Sam smirked victoriously. 

"Not fair!"  she declared.  "I only cheated once." 

"How do I know that?"  Sam asked haughtily.  He crossed his arms and looked at her.  "You're just a sore loser." 

"Let's play another game,"  Wanda growled, messing up his drawing and making a tic-tac-toe board.  "This time, I get to go first." 


	5. Chapter 5

Natasha ended up spending the entire day inside either sleeping restlessly or sitting by the fire Steve kept warm.  Sam and Wanda were sent out to check the traps and get more firewood throughout the day, but Natasha remained inside the shelter the whole time.  Once the sun had gone down and everyone had eaten dinner, she found herself sitting on a stump, staring blankly at the fire.  She blinked, trying to figure out what she'd been thinking about but coming up with nothing. 

"You should go to bed,"  Steve said from his spot beside Natasha.  She blinked a couple more times before turning to look at him.  Steve wouldn't have had to spend the day with her to know she was sick at this point.  The moment she looked at him, he could tell.  She was clearly drained of all energy and her face was paler than normal. 

"I'm fine,"  she said quietly, looking back at the fire.  Steve sighed and stood up.  He offered her his hand but she just stared at it. 

"Nat, you're never gonna get better if you don't go to sleep,"  he told her.  Slowly, she put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet.  She walked to the bedroom and changed out of her jeans and into sweatpants.  After she fell onto the bed, groaning at the harsh impact, Steve left her alone and joined Wanda and Sam around the fire. 

* * * * *

Wanda woke up to a horrible pounding in her head.  She flinched at the feeling, trying to stop the headache before realising it wasn't a headache.  She could see flashes of what appeared to be a nightmare.  She couldn't see it well enough to tell what it was about, but she could feel the terror the dream was bringing.  Breathing heavily, she looked around the dark room towards the boys on the opposite bed.  They were both sleeping peacefully, though, so she turned to Natasha. 

"Nat,"  Wanda whispered urgently.  Natasha's face contorted from one of pain to one of fear.  She shifted on the bed, gasping softly but not waking.  Wanda didn't want to shake her awake, not wanting to see if the former assassin had managed to keep a gun on herself without the rest of them knowing.  Wanda tried whispering her name again, but it did nothing. 

" _Nyet_ ,"  Natasha muttered, jerking away from Wanda in her sleep.  Wanda was about to risk shaking her awake when she suddenly went rigid.  Wanda held her breath, watching Natasha closely and trying to ignore the images flashing through her mind. 

"Natasha?"  Wanda asked weakly, not whispering this time.  As if Wanda's voice had triggered something in her, Natasha screamed.  Wanda jumped at the loud noise, moving to cover her ears as Natasha's eyes flew open, the scream scratching her throat raw. 

"What's going on?"  Steve yelled, shooting upright. His eyes were wide as he looked around for the danger.  Natasha gasped and coughed, sitting up on her bed as she tried to forget what her nightmare had been about.  Wanda didn't dare touch her, looking at Steve for help on what to do. 

"What happened?"  Sam asked as Steve moved from their bed to Natasha and Wanda's. 

"She had a nightmare,"  Wanda told him.  She jumped off the bed and hurried to get a glass of water when Natasha continued to cough.  When she returned with the water, Natasha had her head buried in her knees and although she wasn't shaking, Wanda could tell she was crying. 

"You're okay, Nat,"  Steve said softly, rubbing her back comfortingly.  She leaned towards him, letting her head fall against his chest as he hugged her loosely.  He took the glass of water from Wanda and offered it to Natasha who took only a few sips. 

"I'm sorry,"  Wanda whispered, looking down at Natasha.  "I should have woken you up sooner."  Natasha shook her head and looked up at Wanda. 

"It's not your fault,"  she replied, reaching out for Wanda's hand.  Wanda took her hand, not sure why Natasha was trying to comfort her after she'd been the one who'd had a nightmare.  "I'm sorry I woke you guys up." 

"It's fine,"  Steve assured her.  Sam was quick to nod in agreement.  "Besides, I'm sure one of us was about to have one anyway."  It was an unfortunate truth they all knew.  It was rare to go an entire night without someone having a nightmare, especially if Wanda had one. 

"I'm still sorry,"  Natasha said quietly.  Steve continued to rub her back and the room stayed quiet for a while. 

"Can we push the beds together?"  Wanda asked gingerly.  Steve looked up at her but Natasha kept her eyes on the dark floor.  He nodded and helped Natasha stand.  Once they had gotten off the bed, he pushed the girls' bed against his and Sam's to create one large bed.  They never put the beds together unless Wanda had a nightmare or asked; Steve and Sam refused to ask for the extra comfort of having all their teammates together and Natasha rarely woke everyone up when she had one. 

"Think you can go back to sleep?"  Steve asked Natasha. 

"No, but I'll try,"  she answered.  The four crawled onto the bed, Wanda closest to the wall, crammed up against Natasha.  Natasha stayed tucked between Steve and Wanda while Sam laid on the edge of the bed by Steve.  Slowly, they all started to drift off.  Sam was the first with Wanda close behind.  Steve refused to go to sleep until Natasha had, but she never did.

"Nat?"  he whispered, barely audible.  She moved her eyes up from where she'd been staring at his chest up to his face.  "Go to sleep." 

"Can't,"  she replied.  Wanda shifted beside her and Natasha was pressed closer to Steve, but she didn't mind.  "I'll be fine, but you should get some rest, soldier." 

"I'm fine just how I am,"  Steve told her.  She let out a breath Steve supposed was equal to a laugh and he smiled.  Taking a risk, he lightly kissed her forehead.  Natasha tensed for a moment before relaxing and curling up closer to him, allowing herself to be comforted by him just for tonight. 


	6. Chapter 6

Steve knew something was up.  Once Natasha's cold had disappeared three days after it showed up, two days after her nightmare, she made regular trips into the forest and was gone for quite a while.  She always came back with a couple squirrels and birds, but he also noticed she took the phone with her.  He wanted to ask if she was talking to Tony more often than she was telling them, but he didn't want her to think he was prying.  Besides, it wasn't a bad thing if she was talking to Tony more and more.  They were getting closer to being able to go home, so it made sense that they would want to communicate more often.  However, he was not prepared for Natasha to return from the woods squirrel-less and grinning like the Cheshire cat. 

"Whoa, what happened to you?"  Sam asked as she walked in. 

"We're going home,"  she announced.  Wanda's head snapped up and she looked at Wanda with wide eyes.  Natasha nodded.  "The Accords went through quicker than expected and Tony has a private jet flying our way now.  We're going home." 

"Yes!"  Wanda yelled, jumping to her feet.  She hugged Natasha tightly, lifting her up off the ground.  Natasha yelped in surprise, her arms wrapping around Wanda's shoulders to better stable herself.  Steve found himself reaching an arm around behind her to make sure she didn't fall over, surprising himself.  He didn't move away until Natasha was back on the ground, though. 

"So that's what you've been talking to Stark about?"  he asked.  Natasha nodded, smiling up at him.  "Well, we better pack up if we want to make our jet on time." 

They didn't waste any time gathering the little supplies they had.  Natasha took her rope down, shoving it in her bag then helped Wanda pack up her own things.  It took a total of fifteen minutes before they were walking away from their shelter.  Steve didn't feel like they needed to clear the entire place out, so they left their remaining firewood inside and the traps out in the woods.  They had an hour hike into Zell am See, the nearest town.  After that, it would be a three and a half hour train ride to the airport where Stark's jet would be waiting for them. 

"I can't believe we're finally able to return,"  Wanda said, stepping over a fallen tree.  Steve glanced back to see the smile that had been on her face since the first announcement was still there.  He smiled back, happy that she finally seemed carefree.  Now that they weren't on the run, she could go back to being a teenage girl and not worrying about a government agent kidnapping her and returning her to a torture island. 

"I can't wait for a cheeseburger,"  Sam said.  Natasha snorted and Steve's smile widened.  "Some hot fries, fresh out of their oil bubble bath."  Sam sighed happily and Steve would be lying if he said his mouth didn't water a little at the idea.  It had been a really long time since they'd had good food. 

"I'm just excited for my bed,"  Natasha said.  Steve nodded in agreement, leading the group out across the small creek and through the tall bushes on the other side. 

"I will never take my bed for granted ever again,"  Wanda agreed.  They talked less as they continued to walk.  Every now and then, one of them would mention something they were looking forward to or something they could do once they got back ("Like catch up on the latest Mission Impossible movies."  "Sam, I don't think that should be a priority.").  It felt like the hour walk was half that, but soon they were emerging from the forest and spotting Zell am See up ahead. 

"Do you think it would be suspicious if I ran?"  Sam asked.  Steve glanced back at him and he got defensive.  "I've been on the run for a year.  Sue me for being excited." 

"It's still a three and a half hour train ride to the airport,"  Steve reminded him.  Sam rolled his eyes.  "Save your energy for Stark's questioning." 

"Good point,"  Sam agreed. 

As they neared the town, they slowed their pace.  Instead of walking in a line, Natasha hung back to walk beside Wanda, letting Sam walk beside Steve in front of them.  Steve and Sam led them to the train station, but they stopped outside.  They didn't have enough cash to buy four tickets to Klagenfurt.  Thankfully, Natasha had thought ahead and was already typing in Stark's credit card number into the ATM.  Minutes later, she had a couple $100 bills in her hand and was stepping forward to buy the tickets.  Steve watched as she navigated the German ticket machine without pause.  After listening to an announcement over the speakers (in German, of course), she told them they had ten minutes to get to their train. 

"Window seat,"  Wanda declared.  She plopped down next to the window and Natasha sat beside her.  Steve and Sam sat across from them and closed their compartment door.  Even though they were in the clear when it came to being fugitives, they didn't want to cause a scene.  Besides, old habits die hard. 

"Will Stark be there when we arrive?"  Steve asked.  Natasha checked the phone for the time then nodded. 

"Yes,"  she replied.  "His jet left two hours before we did, so it will have just arrived when we do." 

"Good,"  Sam said, leaning back in his seat.  "I am not in the mood to wait in an airport." 


	7. Chapter 7

Wanda couldn't stop bouncing the entire train ride.  She knew she should probably be catching up on sleep, but she also knew she'd be seeing Vision by the end of the day and this time, they wouldn't have to hide from the world.  She could feel Sam, Steve, and Natasha's excitement as well, but it blended right in with her's so she hardly took notice.  She felt bad for Natasha who was stuck next to her for almost four hours on the train, but Natasha assured her multiple times she wasn't bothered by Wanda's bouncing. 

"We're five minutes away,"  Natasha translated after an announcement came over the speakers.  Steve woke Sam up from his nap as the train began to slow down.  Soon it came to a stop and they could see the station bustling with people.  The four grabbed their bags and followed Natasha off the train. 

As soon as people started to notice them, Wanda stopped bouncing.  She could hear their thoughts as they wondered if Steve really was Captain America.  Others wondered what the four were doing out in public and if they should call the authorities.  Still others seemed to know about their forgiveness as they thought about how it was either a relief to have them back or frightening to see them in public.  Steve must have noticed because he put his hand on Wanda's shoulder and smiled at her. 

"Ready to go home?"  he asked.  She nodded, continuing to follow Natasha out of the station.  She wasn't sure where they were going, but Natasha seemed to.  After pausing and looking around the parking lot, she nodded and walked towards a car.  The others followed, a little less sure.  Once Natasha greeted the driver and got confirmation he was there for them, they loaded their things into the trunk and piled into the car.  Sam got shotgun while Natasha, Wanda, and Steve climbed into the back. 

"How long is the flight?"  Wanda asked. 

"Seven hours thanks to Stark's advanced jets,"  Natasha replied.  It was still a longer flight than Wanda wanted to endure, but better that than flying commercial for however long it normally took. 

The driver didn't say a word to anyone but Natasha the entire trip.  He dropped them off at the airport, unloading their few bags and turning to Natasha.  She handed him some cash and he muttered a  _Dankeschön_.  After that, he got back in the car and drove away.  Wanda watched until she could no longer see the car before she turned to the rest of the group.  They were waiting for her and after seeing she was done staring down the road, they headed into the airport. 

* * * * *

The airport was big.  Almost as big as Leipzig, but not quite.  Wanda spent her time looking around it while Steve guided her through the crowds, keeping close to Natasha who seemed to know where she was going.  Wanda didn't bother watching where she went.  With Steve's hand on her shoulder, she wouldn't have to do anything to follow Natasha.  Steve would make sure she stayed with them and didn't get lost. 

"We're here,"  Natasha said, walking out of a terminal and towards a private jet.  Wanda's attention snapped forward and she smiled at the sight of the large jet.  The words  _Stark Industries_ were printed on the side and a man in a suit stood outside, waiting for them to arrive. 

"Ex-Avengers?"  he asked.  Wanda decided she didn't like that term, but kept her mouth shut.  They all nodded.  "Welcome back,"  he said.  He turned and motioned for them to follow him on board. 

Wanda had never been on one of Stark's planes, but she wasn't surprised by what she saw.  The inside was decorated extravagantly with plush chairs waiting for them.  She could see a room at the back of the plane, but she knew she wouldn't need a bed to be comfortable on board.  Those chairs looked comfy enough.  Without waiting for instructions, she hurried over to one by a window and sat down.  Immediately, she moaned in pleasure and closed her eyes. 

"It's so nice,"  she said softly.  She heard Steve chuckled but seconds later, she heard someone else sit down and Sam sighed in relief.  Wanda opened her eyes and saw Sam sitting across the aisle from her.  Steve and Natasha sat beside each other in front of her while the man in the suit walked into the cockpit. 

"We'll be taking off shortly,"  he told them after returning.  Wanda didn't care how long shortly really was.  She was more than willing to remain in the plane seats until she died.  It had been an entire year since she'd sat on anything even an eighth as nice as these were.  Yes, Stark had his faults, but he sure did know the meaning of comfort. 


	8. Chapter 8

Natasha woke up to the plane touching down on the landing pad.  She jolted slightly as the wheels touched, waking up to find her head resting on Steve's shoulder.  His head was on top of hers and she couldn't honestly say she remembered the armrest moving up.  The two had become nearly one person during the flight and Natasha didn't want to move in case the action woke Steve.  She wasn't sure how to explain what had happened when he did wake up. 

"We're here!"  Wanda cheered, looking at Natasha.  Natasha smiled then frowned when Wanda smirked at her.  She slowly lifted her head, waking Steve in the process.  The two quickly untangled themselves before Sam could comment and reached for their things.  When the plane came to a stop, the door dropped down and Steve was the first one off the plane.  Natasha, Wanda, and Sam followed, looking around the tarmac before spotting Happy by a limo. 

"Welcome home,"  he greeted, smiling at them.  They all smiled back and climbed into the limo so they could take the twenty minute drive up to the Compound. 

As soon as they arrived, the door to the Compound opened.  Natasha couldn't see who it was as they didn't poke their head out.  They simply peered through the open door, slamming it shut when they realised they'd been spotted.  Natasha rolled her eyes and stepped out of the limo after Wanda.  She led the group up to the front door then paused.  Should she knock or just walk in?  Before she could decide, the door flew open and she was buried in a mass of red hair. 

"Natasha!"  Pepper cried happily, hugging her tightly.  Natasha grinned and returned the tight hug, pretending she didn't know how bad she must smell. 

"Hey, Pepper,"  she replied.  Pepper pulled away and reached for her short, blonde hair. 

"Well, I guess I'm the only red head now,"  she said.  Natasha rolled her eyes and hugged her again.  When they released each other again, the group walked inside the Compound.  Natasha spotted Tony leaning against the couch, arms crossed as he watched the four closely. 

"You're blonde,"  was the first thing he said.  Natasha rolled her eyes and crossed the short distance to hug him.  He tensed, eventually relaxing and hugging her back.  "Good to have you back, Nat." 

"Good to be back,"  she said.  She caught sight of movement from behind and glanced back to see a young boy trying to pretend he wasn't watching the four.  She tilted her head, trying to get a better look at the kid. 

"Oh, this is Peter,"  Tony said, turning around to look at the kid.  Peter's head snapped up at his name and he smiled shyly at Natasha.  "Peter, this is Natasha." 

"Yeah,"  Peter said, nodding excitedly.  "She's the Black Widow." 

"Yep,"  Tony replied, nodding in confirmation.  In a stage whisper, he turned to Natasha and said,  "He's a big fan.  Probably gonna ask for an autograph sometime." 

"Mr. Stark!"  Peter whined, his face turning red.  Tony chuckled and patted his shoulder. 

"Come on,"  he said, pulling the boy to his feet.  "Happy'll take you home."  When Peter tried to protest, Tony gave him a sharp look.  "Let them settle in before you hound them with your fanboy ways,"  he said.  Peter turned even more red as he gathered his things and hurried out to Happy. 

"He's cute,"  Natasha said, watching Peter disappear. 

"Yeah,"  Tony agreed, shrugging.  "A little bit annoying and accident prone, but I s'pose he's worth keeping around." 

"Tony,"  Steve said, approaching the two cautiously.  For a moment, Natasha worried they might not relax around each other, but Steve smiled and Tony smiled back, albeit reluctantly. 

"Good to have you back, Cap,"  Tony said, holding out his hand.  Steve ignored his outstretched hand and hugged his old friend.  Tony didn't relax, but he did awkwardly pat Steve's back. 

"I'm truly sorry, Tony,"  Steve told him, releasing the billionaire.  "I'm glad we could fix things." 

"Me too,"  Tony said.  Natasha knew it would be a while before he felt comfortable around Steve again, but at least he was making an effort.  "Tasha, you smell like death,"  he suddenly said, turning to look at the former assassin.  Natasha snorted. 

"Thanks,"  she said sarcastically. 

"Really, do take a shower,"  Tony instructed.  Natasha shook her head with a smile, but she didn't have anything planned until after she showered.  She knew how she smelled.  "Also, go to medical and get your hand looked at,"  Tony told her. 

"I'm fine!  It's old,"  she said, walking towards the stairs. 

"Don't care,"  Tony called after her.  She rolled her eyes then turned her back on her friend to head up the stairs and to her room where she could take a shower. 


	9. Chapter 9

Steve knew the first days back at the Compound, being around Tony after everything that had happened before, would be awkward.  He didn't expect him to just forgive and forget, but he hadn't been prepared for how truly hard the first night would be.  Natasha seemed to be the only one Tony was comfortable around and vice versa.  Of course, Steve knew they had a strong relationship, one that resembled siblings.  A little fight in an airport wasn't enough to ruin it for them, especially after how often the two had talked while they were on the run.  Nevertheless, dinner was painfully awkward and they all retired to their own rooms afterwards.  All except Steve.  He wanted to ask Natasha more about the Accords and when they were due to sign them. 

"Come in,"  she said after he'd knocked.  He peered into the room, not surprised to see Wanda curled in up a blanket, sitting between Natasha's legs as the older woman braided her hair. 

"Looks like a party,"  Steve said, smiling at Wanda then Natasha.  Wanda didn't move from her position, keeping her eyes closed as she leaned against the bed Natasha sat on.  Steve took a seat beside Natasha, looking around her room.  Stark seemed to have spent more time on the room; either that or he gave her a separate budget.  While it had been designed the same as the others, she had more things in it.  The biggest example of this was the tall bookshelf filled to the ceiling with books in a multitude of languages. 

" _Ona kohnchalla_ ,"  she said, tapping Wanda's shoulder.  Wanda pulled the two braids over her shoulder, but didn't move from her spot below Natasha. 

"Thanks,"  she said.  Natasha just smiled then turned to Steve. 

"When do we sign the new Accords?"  he asked.  Natasha's face changed for a second as she thought. 

"I believe that's on Saturday, but I'm not sure,"  she answered.  Steve nodded.  They had four days before the press conference then.  Hopefully by then, he and Tony could be in the same room without it being awkward. 

"Alright,"  he said.  Wanda said something in Russian to Natasha, tearing her attention away from Steve.  Natasha looked down at her, listening as the young girl muttered in the foreign language.  Natasha responded shortly while Steve sat on the bed, wondering what they were talking about.  With a smirk, Wanda stood up and left the room, taking Natasha's blanket with her. 

"What a brat,"  Natasha muttered, shaking her head at the shut door.  "Did you need anything else?" 

"No, that's all,"  Steve said.  He still made no move to leave, but Natasha didn't seem to mind.  "Do you think it will take long before the team is back to normal?"  he asked without thinking.  Natasha pursed her lips as she thought about her answer then turned on her bed, pulling her feet up under her and sitting criss-cross. 

"I don't think it will ever go back to normal,"  she replied quietly.  Steve turned to face her better as she continued.  "We're either going to be a lot closer after this whole thing, or we won't ever be as close as we were before." 

"What about Sam and Wanda?"  Steve asked.  "Do you think things will change between the four of us now that we're back?"  Natasha hesitated and Steve could tell she was trying to really think about her answers before giving them. 

"I think there's things people experience together that bonds them together more than other things,"  she answered slowly, thinking carefully on each word before saying it.  "Being on the run for a year, I think the four of us will remain closer than the rest of the team.  However, I think if we're able to put the airport fight behind us, the Avengers could become twice as powerful as before.  We learn from our mistakes and use them to our advantage." 

Steve nodded, thinking about her response.  It sounded like she had hope for the team which was good.  That meant they had a chance and weren't entirely screwed.  If Steve were honest with himself, he wasn't sure he believed the same thing at the moment.  However, Natasha was smart; if she felt like the team could recover from this, then surely there was a chance they could. 

"Why?"  Natasha asked after a few seconds of silence.  Steve shrugged.  "Worried you'll lose us?" 

"You're too hard to get rid of,"  Steve teased, swatting her knee with his hand.  Natasha's jaw dropped in mock offense. 

"And here I thought we were friends,"  she replied.  Steve chuckled and shook his head. 

"Trust me, if I didn't feel bad for you, we wouldn't be friends,"  he joked.  Natasha narrowed her eyes, but Steve knew her well enough to know she wasn't really upset by his joke. 

"Take it back,"  she told him.  Steve refused.  "Take it back or I'll beat you into next Tuesday." 

"Bring it,"  Steve taunted.  Without warning, Natasha launched herself at Steve, knocking him off her bed and onto the floor.  Steve let out an 'oomph' as he landed, but quickly rolled out from under her.  She jumped on him again, wrestling him to the floor as they both laughed.  It was good to be back. 


	10. Chapter 10

Natasha woke up in the morning to the smell of coffee.  She stretched, opening her eyes when her arms made contact with what felt like a body.  Frowning in confusion, she looked around only to discover she wasn't in her room.  She was in the middle of a blanket and pillow pile in the Compound living room, Wanda cuddled up to her side and her body pressed against Steve.  Wanda was still fast asleep, but when she turned to look at Steve, he was awake.  From the looks of it, he'd been awake for a while. 

"Good morning,"  he smiled.  Natasha shook her head and proceeded to bury her face in his chest.  Last night had been filled with nightmares for all four of them.  After Steve found Natasha in the living room in the middle of the night, he joined her for a movie.  Wanda came out next, face filled with terror until she spotted Natasha and Steve.  She'd practically nose dived into Natasha's lap, making herself as small as possible while Natasha had muttered soothing words in Russian to her.  Sam joined an hour later, having suffered through multiple nightmares before finding the rest of the group.  Once they'd grouped together in the living room, the four had been able to peacefully fall asleep. 

"What time is it?"  Natasha asked.  Steve glanced at the clock on the muted TV, drawing Natasha's attention to it.  It was 7:49AM and the news was playing with subtitles.  Natasha sighed and relaxed against Steve, letting herself wake up slowly. 

"Good morning, Nat,"  Pepper whispered.  Natasha craned her neck up, looking over Steve's shoulder to see Pepper with a cup of coffee and a tablet. 

"Good morning,"  she replied.  Pepper waved as she walked outside, letting Natasha spot Happy waiting outside.  Once Pepper was gone, it was just the four of them in the living room.  Natasha knew it would be an hour or two before Sam and Wanda woke up, but she didn't mind staying where she was.  They didn't have any reason to be on the lookout for danger, so she figured she could enjoy the first relaxed morning in a year. 

"How'd you sleep?"  Steve whispered.  Natasha risked shifting so she could get more comfortable, freezing when Wanda shifted as well. 

"Good,"  Natasha responded after getting more comfortable.  She turned her attention to the news, not surprised to find it covering a murder that had taken place in Los Angeles. 

Natasha and Steve stayed quiet for hours, every now and then saying something to the other.  Sam and Wanda slept until nearly 10AM.  Sam would have kept sleeping, but Wanda accidentally hit his face when she stretched.  He groaned as he woke up, curling closer to Steve.  When he opened his eyes, he seemed confused as to where he was.  After a few seconds, though, he blinked and sat up. 

"Back at the Compound, but still abiding by runaway rules,"  he muttered, stretching as well.  With Sam no longer sleeping on him, Steve was able to move out from under Natasha.  He extended a hand to her, pulling her to her feet while Sam and Wanda woke up slowly. 

"You'll be happy to know we're not having squirrels for breakfast,"  Natasha said, walking into the kitchen to make herself coffee. 

"Can we have pancakes?"  Wanda asked.  Natasha checked the cupboards before she confirmed they could.  Wanda grinned happily and stood up to help Natasha make them.  Steve folded up all their blankets and put the couch cushions back on the couches.  Sam returned the pillows to their original locations then they joined the girls in the kitchen. 

"Hey!  You're supposed to wait before eating!"  Sam said.  Natasha and Wanda didn't look remotely guilty as they nibbled on a pancake they had split.  Natasha ripped hers half in half again and handed it to Sam to stop his complaining.  After she finished her small bit, she finished making up the pancakes then grabbed plates.  Once the table was set and all the toppings were on the table, they sat down to eat.  They had only just begun when Tony walked into the dining room, stopping shortly at the sight. 

"Good morning,"  he grunted, heading towards the coffee machine. 

"Morning, Tony,"  Steve replied.  Natasha kicked the chair at the head of the table out, motioning for Tony to join them.  He seemed hesitant, but she rolled her eyes and told him to sit down beside her.  He grabbed a plate and utensils before joining them silently. 

"We sign on Saturday, right?"  Natasha asked, watching as Tony drowned his pancakes in syrup.  She wrinkled her nose at the sight and he stuck his tongue out at her. 

"Yeah, you do,"  he confirms, nodding as he bites into his soaked pancakes.  "Have any plans then?" 

"Nope,"  Natasha answers.  He finished his pancake quickly then scoots his chair back.  With a wave over his shoulder, he left the kitchen and headed back down to his lab while the rest of the group finished off the mass of pancakes. 


	11. Chapter 11

It's Thursday night, two days after they've returned to the Compound, when Steve decides they should get out before the press conference.  He managed to convince Wanda and Sam to come with him, but Natasha stays back with Pepper so the two can catch up on what happened while Natasha had been on the run.  Tony mentioned something about a festival in Kingston, so that's where Steve heads.  With Sam in the passenger seat and Wanda sprawled out in the back, playing DJ on her phone with the music, Steve doesn't mind the 45 minute drive.  When they finally do arrive, they're all in good spirits. 

"Can we get apple cider?"  Wanda asked, spotting the booth right away.  Steve locked the car before looking up and glancing around the festival. 

"Sure,"  Steve agreed.  He followed Wanda to the stand and they bought three warm apple ciders.  Once they'd received their drinks, they looked around for something else to do at the Halloween festival. 

"Let's do the haunted house,"  Sam suggested.  Steve was about to disagree and suggest the hay ride instead, but Wanda liked Sam's idea and the two were running towards the haunt house before Steve could even open his mouth.  Begrudgingly, he followed them towards the line and waited until it was their turn to go through. 

"This is gonna be awesome,"  Wanda said, leading the way into the house.  Steve stuck behind them, keeping his arms tucked close as he looked ahead for any jump scares.  Since he was in the back, he managed to avoid something jumping in his face.  Instead, Wanda and Sam were often the ones yelping in surprise as a spider dropped from the ceiling or a zombie jumped towards them from where it had been sitting like a statue. 

"Loosen up, Steve,"  Sam said, elbowing Steve about halfway through.  "You're the one that wanted to have fun." 

"I know,"  Steve replied, looking around the dark halls as best he could.  "I'm just, not really a fan of haunted houses."  Sam rolled his eyes, but their conversation was abruptly interrupted.  Just after passing a fake vampire, something jumped behind Steve.  Being grabbed from behind wasn't what Steve had expected.  Rather than screaming like Wanda and Sam had when something jumped out, he threw back his elbow then flipped the offender over his shoulder.  When he looked down at his attacker, his eyes widened. 

"What the hell, man?"  the vampire groaned.  Steve helped him to his feet, apologising profusely and making sure the man wasn't injured.  "Don't do haunt houses if you're gonna attack the actors." 

"I really am sorry,"  Steve repeated.  The man just waved his off and slowly walked back to his post.  Steve turned back to Wanda and Sam to see them about to laugh.  "See?  I shouldn't do haunt houses." 

"Whatever, man,"  Sam chuckled, patting his shoulder.  "After this, we'll ride the nice hay ride." 

* * * * *

As it turned out, the hay ride was haunted too.  After Sam had mockingly asked the driver if the ride was family friendly and appropriate for the elderly, they'd been told it was actually a ghost story ride and they would be visiting old cemeteries.  Steve had refused to go on the ride, telling Wanda and Sam to go on ahead while he went to listen to the band play.  They seemed reluctant to leave him, but he promised he'd be alright.  Besides, the ride was only thirty minutes long; they weren't going to be leaving him alone all night. 

Steve had just sat down with another glass of apple cider, ready to enjoy the live music, when his phone rang.  Frowning, he pulled the device from his pocket and looked at who was calling him.  The caller ID read 'Pepper Potts' which surprised him.  He didn't know he had Pepper's number.  Then again, Tony had set up the phone for him and Natasha and helped him add contacts, so he supposed he shouldn't be that surprised. 

"Hey, Pepper,"  Steve answered happily.  "How are you and Natasha doing?"  He wasn't sure what he expected her to say, but it wasn't that the Compound had been invaded. 

"Ross, he tricked FRIDAY and got inside the Compound while we were watching a movie,"  she said, either on the verge of tears or recently done crying.  Steve frowned, walking away from the music to hear her better. 

"What happened?"  he asked, only aware he'd used what his teammates called his "Captain America voice" after he'd asked her the question. 

"Tony was gone, you know,"  she said, sniffling.  "He flew to Manhattan this afternoon, you remember?" 

"Yes, now what happened, Pepper?"  Steve asked.  "Are you both alright?"  Pepper choked back a sob, but Steve heard it. 

"Natasha,"  she said, her voice cracking.  Steve swore he stopped breathing as Pepper continued through her tears.  "They took Natasha.  Said she was still a fugitive since she'd signed the Accords and then betrayed the UN." 

"What?"  Steve demanded, harsher than he meant to.  He softly apologised then asked,  "How did they get her?" 

"They had guns and I didn't,"  Pepper said.  Steve sighed.  "I could have taken him down, but there were five of them all with guns at me, so I couldn't take them all and neither could Natasha; not without risking it." 

"How long ago did they leave?"  Steve asked, making his way across the grass and over towards the hay ride.  Thankfully it hadn't left yet.  They were just finishing up loading everyone on board.  "Is Tony back?" 

"They left fifteen minutes ago,"  Pepper answered.  "Tony's on his way back now; he'll be here in twenty minutes." 

"We'll be there in forty,"  Steve said.  The tractor started up and Steve picked up his pace, waving his free hand in hopes of getting Sam and Wanda's attention. 

"Alright,"  Pepper replied.  She hung up and Steve shoved his phone in his pocket.  He dropped his apple cider in a trash bin and ran at the tractor, yelling for them to stop.  When Wanda saw him, she pointed him out to Sam then asked the driver to stop.  He did, grumbling about how people just couldn't be on time.  Instead of Steve getting in, though, he told Wanda and Sam to get out. 

"What's going on?"  Sam asked, jumping out of the trailer.  The driver yelled at him in protest, but the three ignored him. 

"Ross was at the Compound,"  Steve said, speed walking towards the car.  Wanda had to almost jog in order to keep up with him.  "He took Nat; said she was a fugitive for breaking the Accords she'd signed." 

"They took Natasha?"  Wanda asked.  Steve nodded, unlocking the car then sliding in.  Before Sam had even shut his door, Steve was speeding back to the Compound. 


	12. Chapter 12

Natasha was not happy, to say the least.  Not only had Ross decided to interrupt a  _How I Met Your Mother_ marathon, he'd had the decency to point five guns at Pepper and seven at her.  Of course, she could have taken them all out without taking more than three breaths, but the men had pointed guns at Pepper.  Natasha knew Pepper could defend herself well, but she also knew there was no way she would have survived if Natasha had tried fighting the men.  With no other option, she'd had to surrender herself over to Ross's men with a promise of no funny business.  Once she'd been cuffed with what she could only describe as two shock collars wrapped around her wrists and connected, she'd been told why she was being arrested. 

 _"You went against the terms of the Accords, a document you signed days prior to helping Captain America and his team escape."_  

Apparently the second chance to sign the Accords was only given to those who hadn't signed and broken them first.  She couldn't say she was terribly surprised Ross had been planning something.  He always seemed like the type to betray children and kick puppies, but that didn't mean she had known Ross was going to arrest her.  She had half expected him to arrest the entire team as soon as they stepped off the jet two days ago. 

"Keep your guns at the ready,"  Ross told his men, staring across the helicopter at Natasha.  She stared back, waiting for him to look away first.  "You're something, else, Romanovna." 

"I could say the same for you,"  Natasha replied evenly.  A man pressed a gun to her head and cocked it.  Ross smirked and Natasha's gaze hardened ever so slightly. 

"I guess I should warn you,"  he said, shifting into a more relaxed position but not looking away from Natasha.  "Anything you say will be viewed as aggressive and protective measures will be taken." 

"Why would I threaten you when I'm so clearly outnumbered?"  she asked.  The gun was pressed harder against her temple, breaking the skin on her right temple, but she wasn't worried.  Ross wasn't someone who would let her die.  No, she'd heard how the others had been treated while imprisoned for the few days before Steve could get to them.  He wanted to make her miserable, not murder her. 

"I wouldn't keep talking, Romanoff,"  Ross suggested.  He gestured to the gun by her head.  "He might blow your brains out."  Natasha smirked. 

"No, he won't,"  she told him.  It wasn't much, but she did feel the pressure leave her temple just slightly.  "You don't want to kill me." 

"Then, pray tell, why would I have my man put his gun to your head?"  Ross asked. 

"A power move,"  Natasha shrugged.  Ross stared at her for a moment longer before waving as his man to put his gun down.  Natasha smirked victoriously and Ross took a sharp breath. 

"You might want to be careful, Romanoff,"  Ross warned.  Natasha raised an eyebrow questioningly.  "We're headed to my house where I make the rules.  You may not like them." 

"We'll see,"  she responded. 

* * * * *

It was only an hour flight from the Compound to the RAFT prison.  Once the helicopter touched down, Natasha was escorted inside with guards all around her, their guns trained on her and ready to shoot at any moment.  Ross followed his men down the hall, his eyes never leaving Natasha's blonde head.  He didn't need to tell his men where to go, so he let them lead her down the hall and into the elevator where they would go down to her cell. 

As soon as the elevator doors shut, Natasha raised her wrists and brought the heavy cuffs down over a man's head.  The small elevator meant the men had to lower their guns, so she took her chance.  The man she'd hit with the cuffs crumpled to the ground unconscious and she turned to the next man.  She'd barely knocked him out as well when a powerful shock traveled through her body from her wrists, coming from the cuffs.  Her muscles seized and she curled into herself and the voltage ripped through her body.  It was so strong she couldn't breath until it was turned off.  When the current was finally stopped, she took a deep breath, heaving on the floor with guns trained on her. 

"No funny business,"  Ross reminded her, holding a remote just high enough she could see it.  She hadn't recovered quite yet when he pressed the remote again, allowing the cuffs to shock her again until the elevator came to a stop. 

"On your feet,"  a man growled, hauling her off the floor.  She held back a groan as the cuffs rubbed against her now burned wrists, but she stood up and allowed the men to guide her down the hall and into a room.  They walked her in where a woman was waiting. 

"Search her for weapons,"  Ross demanded the woman.  He left the room, taking his guards with him but locking the door.  Natasha remained perfectly still as the woman approached her. 

"Please, don't kill me,"  the woman said quietly, looking up at Natasha fearfully.  "I have a family at home.  Please don't make my children grow up without their mother." 

"I'm not going to hurt you,"  Natasha promised.  The woman nodded but still approached Natasha cautiously.  After thoroughly searching her and making sure Natasha didn't even have the knife she kept in her bra, the woman called the guards back in to escort her to her cell.  She was pushed into her cell roughly, the cuffs removed from her wrists roughly while seven men kept their guns trained on her. 

"Get changed,"  Ross demanded.  Natasha spotted a set of navy blue prison clothes resting on a cot in the corner of her cell.  

"And if I don't?"  Natasha asked.  Ross just smirked and closed her cell. 

"Your stay will be much less enjoyable,"  he said.  He called his men and left the room, leaving Natasha completely alone except for the multiple security cameras in her cell and the room outside.  Shrugging, Natasha grabbed the navy blue prison shirt she’d been supplied with.Rather than put it on, she used it to wrap the burns on her wrists from the electric cuffs.


	13. Chapter 13

Tony had a bone to pick with Ross.  He'd actually believed the man when he'd said Steve and his team could return to sign the new Accords without worry about being arrested.  Clearly he had either not paid close enough attention to what Ross had really said or Ross was just that clever when phrasing his negotiations; and here Tony thought he’d finally figured out how to avoid the annoying, manipulative way government agents worked.  He’d been so careful with the negotiation, going as far as to write it out himself and making Ross sign it with multiple witnesses around to verify it was the real agreement.  He’d forgotten Natasha hadn’t originally been on Steve’s team and now he was paying for it. 

“FRI, monitor the RAFT prison and let me know everything that goes on in the next hour,”  Tony said, landing at the Compound and stepping on of his suit. 

“Of course, Boss,”  FRIDAY replied. Tony made his way inside, searching through the common floor until he found Pepper.  She was sipping a hot drink in the kitchen, staring at the floor blankly. 

“Pep?”  he asked softly, walking towards her slowly.  Her head snapped up and she jumped to attention.  “Hey, it’s just me. I’m here, no one else.” 

“Tony,”  she breathed.  Tony nodded, standing in front of her, not sure what to do.  Her eyes were still red from when she’d screamed and cried after Ross had taken Natasha.  Yes, FRIDAY had informed him of Pepper’s state after she’d called him. He knew there was no way she was doing alright after having her best friend arrested in front of her by a man they all hated. 

“What happened?”  he asked. He’d already heard the story, but he needed to hear it again just to make sure he had everything right. 

“Ross came in and arrested Natasha,”  Pepper told him. “They all had guns and threatened to shoot if she didn’t go nicely, so she went.”  Tony wasn’t surprised. He knew she’d go if it meant someone else went free and uninjured. 

“Did you call Steve?”  he asked. Pepper nodded and set down her mug. 

“Right after I called you,”  she answered. Before he could ask, she said,  “He’ll be here in about twenty minutes if he goes the speed limit, but I give it ten.” 

* * * * *

Almost exactly ten minutes after Tony arrived, Steve was walking into the Compound with Wanda and Sam jogging to keep up.  Tony knew Steve walked fast, but even he could tell the man was walking faster than usual. Rather than comment on Steve’s obvious worry, he decided to have FRIDAY pull up information on the RAFT since he knew that’s where Ross was going to take Natasha.  Honestly, if he didn’t want a pack of angry Avengers on his tail, he shouldn’t be so predictable. Even though he hadn’t landed the helicopter yet, FRIDAY had picked up on its signal over the Atlantic and heading towards the RAFT prison. 

“I thought we were free to come back,”  Steve said as soon as he stood in front of Tony.  Tony raised an eyebrow as Steve crossed his arms, glaring at Tony as if he were responsible for Natasha’s arrest. 

“Yeah, so did I,”  he snapped back. 

“How do we know we aren’t going to be arrested?”  Steve demanded. 

“You won’t,”  Tony replied, opening another hologram to provide live feed at the landing pad on the RAFT.  “Don’t worry, you guys are fine.” 

“How can we be sure?”  Sam asked, copying Steve in crossing his arms and watching Tony skeptically. 

“Because I wrote up the document he signed,”  Tony told him harshly. “There’s no loophole for Ross to find in order to arrest any of you.” 

“But you left one for Natasha,”  Steve said. Tony want to pull his hair out.  Steve really thought he wanted Natasha to be arrested? 

“I didn’t mean to,”  he replied. 

“Well you did!  How can you be sure there isn’t one for us?”  Steve demanded again. Instead of repeating what he’d said earlier, Tony ignored him and worked on hacking the rest of the RAFT security cameras.  He didn’t see Steve’s fist flying towards him almost until it was too late. Just as he jumped and moved to block his face, Steve’s fist stopped. Tony looked up to see Wanda’s red magic holding his fist back and Steve straining against it. 

“Steve,”  Wanda said calmly, pulling his fist back slowly.  “This isn’t going to get Natasha back.” Steve relaxed just enough Wanda released him of her magic.  He didn’t move to punch Tony again, satisfied with glaring at him. 

“If you think I wanted Natasha to be arrested, then you’re wrong,”  Tony told him, glaring back just as hard. “I didn’t mean to leave a loophole for Ross and when we get her off that godforsaken floating prison, there won’t be a Ross to find the loophole.  Now, are you going to work with me or against me?” Steve clenched his jaw but Tony waited. 

“Fine,”  Steve gave in.  “But if anything goes wrong, that’s on you.” 


	14. Chapter 14

Natasha wasn’t sure how long she’d been in her cell by the time Ross’s men reappeared.  She knew it hadn’t been long since she hadn’t finished counting the tiles inside and outside her room.  To be fair, she had counted to 500 in every language she knew before beginning her quest to count all the tiles, but she knew it still hadn’t been that long.  Nonetheless, she wasn’t surprised that they’d returned so soon. She knew there must be something they needed if they’d risked the wrath of the newly reunited Avengers and breaking the contract she’d helped Tony write up.

“On your feet,”  a man yelled. Natasha lazily stood up, staring straight at the man.  She could see something in his eyes change as she continued to stare at him and his next command was less confident.  “Don’t move,” he said.

Multiple guards raised their guns at her and the doors slowly slid open.  They stepped inside the cell and three men moved forward to return the cuffs to her wrists and guide her out of her cell.  She flashed a smile at the commanding guard as she passed him and she saw him tense. That was good. He was afraid of her even when she had the cuffs on.

She was led down multiple hallways and up and down different staircases.  She assumed it was in order to confuse her, but she happened to know they had made three circles, each circle on a different floor.  She knew they were two floors beneath her cell when they led her into a room with bright lights and men in white coats.  She kept herself from tensing at the sight as the guards walked her into the room then uncuffed her. 

"Welcome, Miss Romanovna,"  a man said, stepping forward to greet her.  "I'm so glad you could join us."  Natasha didn't move as a guard removed the cuffs then held her tightly, as if she was about to attack. 

"Glad to be invited,"  Natasha replied, not meaning a single word.  The man smiled patronizingly, as if he understood exactly how Natasha really felt.  The urge to take the life from his body increased, but she refrained herself. 

"Bring her here,"  the man instructed the guard.  They brought her over to a table where they strapped her down tightly.  She frowned as the restraints chaffed against her burned wrists but didn't make a sound. 

"We'll be outside,"  the head guard told the man.  He nodded and the guards all left.  The man looked over Natasha and smiled. 

"I'm Dr. Sims and we're just going to run some basic tests,"  he told her.  Natasha had her doubts about the "basic tests", but she remained as silent as ever.  "If you wouldn't mind cooperating, this will be easier on all of us." 

* * * * *

Natasha didn't remember being brought back to her cell.  She didn't remember passing out or why she was now cuffed in her cell.  She was aware of nothing more than just how much pain she was in.  From her head to her ankles, everything burned and screamed at her to stop moving even if she wasn't doing anything more than breathing.  Slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself laying on the floor of her cell.  She forced herself upright, but couldn't seem to find the strength and collapsed back to the floor.  She groaned and tried to figure out what had happened.  The last clear memory she had was of Dr. Sims telling her about the "basic tests" they would be performing. 

The longer she thought, the more memories she regained.  Eventually, she could remember the beginning procedures.  They really had been basic tests; her blood was drawn, pupils checked, and they even looked inside her mouth.  After that, the tests became less basic.  They went from checking her mouth to getting a bone sample then hooking her up to a machine.  After that, her memories were even more blurry and all she could remember was pain followed by screaming. 

She tried sitting up again, but couldn't muster the strength.  The cuffs made it harder and her head slammed against the floor as she dropped back down.  As she hit her head, her memories came back.  Dr. Sims had tried drowning her.  They'd forced her head under water and she couldn't breath.  No longer willing to let them live, she remembered fighting the scientists back.  She remembered snapping the necks of two before the guards came in and restrained her.  After that, they took her to another room and punished her for lashing out against the scientists. 

 _So that's why I ache all over,_ she grimaced as she remembered being used as a human punching bag, hanging from the ceiling by her wrists without anything protecting the burns from the rope.  She knew there was more, but if her mind was refusing to let her know what it was, she wasn't sure she wanted to.  She decided not knowing was best and instead tried going back to sleep.  She had a good healing factor, so if she could only fall asleep, maybe her body would hurt less and heal even quicker if she could rest. 


	15. Chapter 15

"Ten minutes out,"  Tony announced from the pilot seat of the quinjet.  Steve hadn't been able to relax ever since receiving the call from Pepper.  It definitely didn't help when FRIDAY confirmed Natasha had been taken to the RAFT.  It had taken a lot of mental manipulation by Wanda to keep Steve from destroying the Compound.  He hadn't let Tony forget his promise that they'd be safe if they returned.  Eventually, Wanda had simply knocked Steve out until they could come up with a plan. 

"Are you alright?"  Wanda asked Steve tentatively.  She could feel his emotions and his thoughts were screaming at her, but she was still going to ask. 

"Yes,"  Steve said shortly.  Wanda gave him a look. 

"I can hear your thoughts,"  she told him.  Steve just sighed and looked outside the quinjet and down at the Atlantic.  Wanda didn't leave his side, though.  She sat on a chair beside him even though he remained standing.  Steve ignored her and contented himself with watching for the RAFT.  As soon as he got Natasha out of there, Ross would breath his last.  Sure, it wasn't exactly apart of the plan the rest of the team had agreed upon, but Steve didn't want the man coming after them anymore. 

"We're here,"  Tony declared, landing the quinjet gently.  He'd already had FRIDAY hack their security and the cameras were playing back old feed.  The AI had even managed to keep the aircraft off their satellite sensors and every other device the prison used to detect intruders. 

"Everyone knows where they're going?"  Steve asked, adjusting his suit slightly and stuffing a few guns in the pockets of his suit.  He wasn't sure if Natasha would be in any condition to shoot, but he wasn't beyond using a gun at this point. 

"Yes,"  they all confirmed, grabbing their own weapons and preparing to go in. 

"No one deviates from the plan,"  Tony instructed, giving Steve a sharp look.  "The explosives will go off exactly thirty seconds after we're on the quinjet, so don't go on any fool's errands." 

"Just focus on setting the explosives,"  Steve said.  He opened the door to the quinjet and led the team off.  They had maybe five minutes before someone noticed the jet wasn't one of the RAFT's and an alarm would sound. 

Just as decided, Tony and Rhodey broke off from the group to set the explosives at various locations around the prison.  Sam, Wanda, and Steve headed for the three floors where the cells were located.  Steve led the other two through the halls, shooting down guards before they could even think about shooting at them.  Wanda focused on trying to find Natasha's presence in the RAFT, but it was a big place and guards kept distracting her with their thoughts about patrol.  Between notifying Steve of guards around the corner or shooting guards from behind them, she struggled to find Natasha's mind. 

"Is she close?"  Steve asked, securing the floor of cells they were on.  No guards would disrupt them for a while, but they didn't want to dilly dally. 

"No, not here,"  Wanda said.  They went down some more stairs and Wanda shook her head.  On the third floor of cells, she picked up on a multitude of minds.  She nodded and Steve broke down the door of the stairwell.  As they walked into the cell floor, they were met with both a blaring alarm and bullets flying at them.  Steve raised his shield while Wanda took care of the guards with her magic.  She snapped their necks without blinking.  It was just luck that Ross happened to be among the guards surrounding Natasha.  When he realised what was happened, he pointed a gun at Natasha's head.  Wanda sneered as she ripped the gun from his hand with magic.  Steve threw his shield at the man's chest so hard the shield fell the the ground and Ross dented the wall. 

"Natasha,"  Steve said, hurrying over to her.  Wanda would have finished Ross off, but the hit into the wall had broken his spine and he was dead.  She turned her attention to Natasha after making sure Ross was dead and stumbled back.  Clearly the RAFT wasn't wasting any time before mistreating their prisoners.  Natasha had been there barely 16 hours and she looked like death. 

"Oh  _bohk_ ,"  she said softly.  Steve knelt down beside Natasha who was slumped against the wall.  She smiled weakly up at them and Wanda got a good glimpse of her black eye. 

"What did they do to you?"  Sam asked.  Steve broke the cuffs off Natasha's wrists, receiving a sharp, but not strong, electric shock in the process.  She grimaced at the shock and Steve threw the cuffs across the cell.  He looked down at her wrists that had bled through the t-shirt scrap she'd wrapped them each in. 

"I don't think they like me too well,"  Natasha muttered.  Steve looked up from her wrists to see her swollen face.  Her left eye was purple and blue and she had a small cut on her forehead.  If the bruise had appeared so quickly, he knew it was going to be awful.  The faster they appeared, the worse they would be. 

"Come on,"  he said quietly, opening his arms.  Natasha allowed him to help her stand and after stumbling twice, allowed him to scoop her up in his arms.  She wasn't sure if the rest of her body had bruised yet, but it sure felt like it. 

"We found her,"  Sam said into his comm.  He led them back up to the top floors, shooting down anyone that appeared in front of them while Wanda took care of anyone who tried to attack them from behind.  They were the first ones back on the quinjet, but Tony and Rhodey were close behind.  Tony refused to look at Natasha as he focused on getting the quinjet in the air and away from the RAFT.  As planned, the prison blew up just seconds after they were a safe distance.  Once Tony was sure they were okay, he put the jet on autopilot back to the Compound and turned to find Natasha.  She was propped up on a seat with her back against a corner and her legs over Steve's.  Tony didn't have to get close to see how awful she looked. 

"God, Red,"  he said, feeling even worse than when Steve had tried blaming him for her capture.  "I'm so sorry." 


	16. Chapter 16

Natasha was immediately taken to the medical wing of the Compound when they returned.  The team was forced to wait in the designated waiting room while the doctors made sure she didn't have any internal damage they couldn't readily see.  Natasha let them run her through various machines, waiting for them to finish so she could return to her team.  After they'd put her through three machines and done other check ups, they put her in a medical room.  She frowned, but soon the team rushed in to see her and she smiled. 

"Natasha!"  they exclaimed, hurrying to her bedside.  Tony stayed back while Steve, Wanda, and Sam got close to her.  Rhodey waited back with him, not feeling like he was close enough to the spy to run to her side to quickly. 

"I'm alright,"  Natasha assured them, running her hand through Wanda's hair.  Wanda held onto her arm as tight as she dared and Steve held her other hand.  Sam itched to reach forward and touch her, a physical reassurance she was alright, but he didn't want to take away from Wanda or Steve.  As if sensing this, Natasha looked at him and smiled.  She pulled her hand from Wanda's hair and grabbed hold of Sam's hand. 

"You look like a human punching bag,"  Sam told her.  Natasha pursed her lips then looked sharply at Wanda. 

"I'm sorry!"  Wanda said, covering her mouth.  "I couldn't help it." 

"What?  What happened to her?"  Steve asked, knowing Wanda had looked into Natasha's mind. 

"I'm fine,"  Natasha insisted.  Wanda forced her tears back and nodded.  Natasha moved her hand back to the younger girl's hair to comfort her and Steve frowned. 

"You sure, Red?"  Tony asked, holding the clipboard with all her injuries listed.  He glanced up at her and she rolled her eyes. 

"Put that away,"  she told him.  Tony just lifted the top page to continue reading.  "They don't know what they're saying." 

"They're some of the best doctors in the world,"  Tony told her, putting the clipboard down.  "You know what they're saying?" 

"Tony,"  she warned.  He stared at her and she stared back, daring him to continue.  He did. 

"They say you're pretty beat up,"  he said.  "I don't care if you say you're fine and refuse to tell us what happened, but clearly it wasn't nothing." 

"This isn't your fault,"  she told him.  He didn't disagree verbally, but she knew he wanted to.  He sighed and looked up at Rhodey then back at Natasha. 

"I'm glad you're okay,"  he said.  "I'm going to go find Pep.  She'll want to see you." 

* * * * *

Natasha was let out of the medical wing the next day.  Due to her quick healing factor, the doctors allowed her to leave as long as she promised to take it easy.  She hadn't broken anything other than a couple ribs, but she'd had broken ribs before.  Every movement hurt due to all her bruises, but she didn't complain.  When Steve accidentally hit a large bruise on her abdomen when trying to help her stand, she managed to stay quiet except for a small grunt.  She'd been able to pass it off as simply sitting up wrong and twisting her ribs rather than making Steve feel bad about hurting her. 

"Wanda has your room ready and is making cookies,"  Steve told her.  She smiled, slowly limping beside him and out of the medical room.  "I think she's planning on spending the night with you again.  Some of her things have been moved to your room, so you might have a permanent guest." 

"I don't mind,"  she replied, pausing for a moment at the base of the stairs.  Before she could force herself to start up the stairs, Steve was gently picking her up.  She let him, not having the energy or desire to fight him on it.  Besides, why should she complain about a free ride up the stairs? 

"I know,"  Steve said.  Ever since going on the run and having multiple close calls the first few months, it was hard for the group to sleep alone.  Anything like this would definitely set back whatever progress they had made towards sleeping on their own again. 

Steve set Natasha down when they got to the top of the stairs and they slowly walked to the kitchen where Wanda was.  She was frowning down at a recipe, but she looked up suddenly at the feeling of Natasha's presence.  She grinned and beckoned Natasha over happily.  Natasha smiled and limped over to the counter, carefully lowering herself onto a stool.  Wanda turned around and grabbed a cookie off a baking sheet and handed it to her, watching excitedly as Natasha smelled it. 

"What is it?"  she asked, looking at the cookie closely. 

"Just try it,"  Wanda insisted.  Natasha took a bite of the warm cookie and wanted to melt right then and there.  "Is it good?"  Wanda asked eagerly. 

"Best cookie I've ever had,"  Natasha said, shoving the rest of the cookie in her mouth.  Wanda put a couple more cookies on a plate and handed them to Natasha before going back to her recipe.  Natasha didn't hesitate to finish them off and they were gone before Steve could try and steal one. 

"You'll have to wait until dinner,"  Wanda told him.  Steve rolled his eyes but smiled, sitting on a stool beside Natasha.  He had grabbed his book from the living room and opened up to where he left off while Natasha watched Wanda bake, humming to herself and doing a little dance as she turned from counter to cabinet to oven. 


	17. Chapter 17

That evening, Natasha spent nearly three hours on the phone with Clint.  He'd gotten wind of what had happened, but hadn't received the message until about ten hours after it had been left.  Seeing as he didn't have his personal phone on him while he was at home, it was understandable that he'd heard the news so late.  That hadn't kept him from panicking, though.  Especially when he didn't hear anything else for another seven hours or so. 

"I swear, Clint, I'm perfectly fine,"  Natasha said, trying to hang up.  She'd spent the majority of the phone call assuring him he was okay and telling him what had happened on the RAFT.  He had insisted she tell him everything that had happened, so she ended up sitting on a bench outside the Compound so the others wouldn't hear. 

"Just, make sure you get checked on again tomorrow to make sure, alright?"  Clint asked.  Natasha promised she would just to appease him.  "I should call Tony and tell him, just to make sure you actually do." 

"Clint,"  Natasha groaned.  Clint sighed, obviously annoyed she wasn't as concerned as he was. 

"Fine,"  he said.  "If you die from internal bleeding, though, it's not my fault." 

"Understood,"  Natasha agreed.  Both ends of the phone were silent for a few seconds then Natasha said, "I have to go.  It's dark out so I should go back inside." 

"Alright,"  Clint said.  "Goodnight, Nat." 

"Goodnight,"  she replied.  She hung up and slowly made her way back into the Compound.  She wasn't surprised to find Steve sitting where he could easily look outside and see where she had been sitting.  Wanda was beside him, doing something on a tablet but in just as good of a position as Steve was.  While Sam was sprawled out on the couch, she had no doubt he had been asking for regular updates even though Steve and Wanda would have made it obvious if anything had happened to her. 

"Hey, Nat,"  Wanda smiled.  Natasha smiled back and ran her hand through Wanda's hair as she passed by.  "How's Clint?" 

"Worried as ever,"  she replied, sitting on the couch across from Sam.  Wanda scrambled from her position by Steve to join Natasha on the couch.  "I talked to Lila and Cooper who both say 'hi',"  she said, wrapping an arm around Wanda. 

"You told them 'hi' for me, too, right?"  Wanda asked.  Natasha nodded. 

"Yep,"  she answered.  "And little Nate said everything he can say which is 'hey', 'ball', and 'yay'." 

"One day he'll say Wanda,"  Wanda muttered, returning to whatever she had been doing on her tablet.  Natasha smirked, knowing he could already say 'Nat' much to Clint's disappointment, but she didn't bother telling Wanda that.  It wouldn't help any. 

"Can we watch a movie?"  Sam asked, sitting up on his couch. 

"You don't have to ask permission, Sam,"  Steve reminded him.  Sam found a movie that had already started and settled down on his couch.  Eventually, Steve joined him and by the time the movie had finished, Rhodey had joined as well. 

"Let's watch  _Marley & Me_,"  Wanda suggested.  Natasha opened her eyes, having dozed off throughout the movie, and shifted so she was no longer leaning on Wanda. 

"We have the Accords signing and press conference tomorrow,"  she reminded the group.  "Maybe we shouldn't watch another movie." 

"But it's only 9:30,"  Sam said.  Natasha stood up and stretched, grimacing when her ribs protested painfully. 

"Yeah, but it will finish at 11 and then you'll want to watch another and we won't get to bed until 3AM,"  she told him.  Sam frowned but knew he couldn't argue. 

"Fine,"  he agreed.  "But tomorrow, we get to watch three movies." 

Natasha rolled her eyes and left the living room.  She walked down the hall to her room and grabbed her pyjamas, leaving the other four to bicker about whatever they decided was worth their time.  She changed in the bathroom she shared with Wanda then brushed her teeth before returning to her room.  When she did, she found Steve sitting on her bed, playing with his hands in his lap. 

"You alright, soldier?"  she asked, taking her clothes to her laundry hamper.  Steve looked up at the sound of her voice, but he didn't smile. 

"You never told us what happened on the RAFT,"  Steve told her.  Natasha paused before turning from her hamper to the bed. 

"I don't think it's that important for the entire team to know,"  she replied.  Steve seemed to disagree as his leg bounced anxiously. 

"Wanda knows,"  he pointed out, standing up. 

"Because she looked into my head without permission,"  Natasha reminded him.  "I didn't want her to know." 

"Why not?"  Steve asked.  Natasha shrugged weakly, not wanting to tell him it was too awful to tell anyone.  That would just make him even more persistent.  "Natasha, please tell me.  You looked like death when we found you and you still look horrible." 

"Thanks,"  she said sarcastically.  "Next time I need a boost in my confidence, I'll come to you." 

"Nat, that's not what I..."  he cut himself off with a frustrated groan.  "I just want to know what happened." 

"Why?"  Natasha demanded, not yelling but almost.  "Why do you want to know so bad?" 

"Because it's my fault!"  Steve yelled back.  Natasha's eyes widened at his assumption and he tugged at his hair as he paced.  "If I hadn't left you here, Ross couldn't have gotten to you and nothing would have happened."

"Steve, it's not your fault,"  Natasha said softly, stepping forward to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  He froze in place, stopping his pacing but continuing to tug on his hair. 

"Yes it is,"  he insisted, glancing up at her desperately.  "Everything would be fine, but it's not because—" 

Natasha was fairly certain he was about to finish that sentence with something along the lines of 'I left you alone', but she never found out if she was right or not.  Before he could, she grabbed him roughly and pulled him down to meet her lips. 


	18. Chapter 18

Natasha only pulled away once Steve had relaxed.  He was just beginning to reciprocate the kiss when he felt her pull back just enough to see his face.  Her hands were still behind his neck and he was surprised to discover his had gone around her waist subconsciously.  When his eyes finally opened, he was met with the sight of Natasha's face close to his, her forehead pressed against his and her eyes still closed. 

"It's not your fault, Steve,"  she said softly.  He just sighed and hugged her carefully, taking care to remember her injured ribs and bruised body. 

"I'm still going to blame myself,"  he told her.  She turned her head so she could lightly kiss his neck then squeezed him tightly. 

"That's why I'm not going to tell you,"  she replied. 

Natasha was the first to pull away from the hug and she did so slowly.  Steve let her go and watched as she sat on her bed.  He glanced at her then the door, wondering if he should leave or stay.  He knew the odds of the group sleeping in the same room were high, but he didn't want to make things awkward. 

"I'm going to go to bed,"  Natasha told him.  He nodded and watched as she pulled back the covers and laid on her bed.  She raised an eyebrow as she turned to look up at him.  "Are you going to join me now or later?" 

"I'm going to go check on Sam and Wanda,"  he said.  She nodded and scooted further under her covers.  Steve flicked off her bedroom light and walked into the living room where Sam, Wanda, and Rhodey were still sprawled out on the couches. 

"What happened?"  Wanda asked, smirking at Steve as he walked in.  He looked at her suspiciously then turned to see Sam smirking as well.  Rhodey looked amused and Steve began to wonder what had happened. 

"Nothing,"  he said, unsure what else to say. 

"That's not what Wanda said,"  Sam told him, nodding at Wanda who looked as smug as before.  "She made it sound like you and Natasha were about to procreate." 

"Wanda!"  Steve exclaimed, fighting the red that made it way up his neck and onto his face.  She burst into laughter and Rhodey chuckled.  Sam snorted, covering his mouth to keep from laughing at Steve's distress. 

"I could practically feel the love oozing out of you two,"  she said.  "First you were fighting, then it was all happy, lovey-dovey feelings."  She made a face at this and Steve rolled his eyes. 

"It wasn't like that,"  he clarified.  He knew the three weren't going to believe him no matter what he said, but he still tried to explain himself,  "I was expressing my concern for what happened on the RAFT and then we kissed.  We did  _not_ almost procreate." 

"Okay,"  Sam said through his stifled giggles.  "We believe you." 

Based on his tone of voice, Steve knew Sam did not believe him.  Rather than start an argument in the living room, he took a deep breath then looked at both Wanda and Sam. 

"I'm going to bed,"  he told them.  "I don't care if you watch another movie, but don't expect me to feel sorry for you when you fall asleep during the press conference tomorrow." 

"Yes,"  Sam exclaimed, asking FRIDAY to play another movie. 

" _Marley & Me_!"  Wanda demanded when FRIDAY asked which one.  Steve turned to leave the living room, but Wanda managed to say,  "Don't forget protection!"  before he had completely disappeared. 

"You're not allowed to stay in Nat's room tonight,"  Steve told her over his shoulder.  Wanda just rolled her eyes, knowing she would never be denied entrance to the room after a nightmare, and turned on the couch so she could enjoy the movie.  It was always great to see Steve flustered.  Especially when Natasha wasn't around to get after them for ganging up against him. 


	19. Chapter 19

The following morning, Natasha woke up Sam and Wanda who had fallen asleep on the couches at 8AM.  The entire group was surprised to discover they had been able to sleep peacefully, but no one said it out loud.  Instead, they focused on devouring breakfast before Happy came with a limo to take them to Stark Tower where they would be signing the new Accords and having a press conference.  By that afternoon, they would once again be official Avengers. 

"Happy's here!"  Natasha yelled, walking into the dining room.  Wanda scooped her last bite of pancake into her mouth and ran her plate and utensils to the dishwasher.  Sam followed close behind while Steve finished off the orange juice.  Natasha followed everyone out of the Compound and was the last one to enter the limousine.  Once she was in, Happy shut the door then got in the driver's seat to drive them to the Tower. 

The car ride was fairly quiet.  Every now and then, someone would say something, but it was mostly quiet until they reached the city.  Arriving back in Manhattan brought excitement and they all looked out the windows at the passing city. 

"It's been a while,"  Steve said, looking out at the skyscrapers they passed. 

"Yeah,"  Natasha agreed, craning her neck up to catch sight of the top of of building.  "It has." 

It took almost three hours total to get from the Compound to the Tower and by the time Happy had parked in the garage, they were itching to get out.  Reporters were almost breaking down the doors outside of the Tower, so it was nice of Happy to take them the back way through the garage.  They would already be encountering enough cameras, they didn't want to endure more than necessary. 

"Welcome back,"  Tony said, walking forward to meet the group when they walked into the conference room.  Natasha could tell his smile was still strained when directed towards Steve, but he seemed to be loosening up around Sam and Wanda. 

"Good to be back,"  Steve said, shaking Tony's hand when he stepped forward. 

"Never been here before,"  Sam said, looking around the room.  "Seems nice." 

"It was nicer when the Avengers lived here, but it's nice Upstate, too,"  Tony told him.  Sam nodded and Tony led them over to where the documents were laid out, waiting for them to sign. 

"Can we just sign them now?"  Wanda asked.  Tony shook his head. 

"The UN is doing a speech then you can,"  he answered.  "Something about welcoming you back to the States." 

"How fake,"  Sam said.  Tony snorted and nodded. 

"I'll see you in a few,"  he told them.  They nodded and he walked off the find the UN official who was supposed to make the speech.  Once he'd been found, everyone took their seats. 

Steve, Sam, Wanda, and Natasha sat at the front behind the UN official as he spoke and Tony stood off to the side.  The speech was long and definitely not only about welcoming the group back to the States, but it ended before Sam could fall asleep.  Right before he nodded off, the room erupted into applause and they were being led to the table where the documents waited.  The room was dead silent as they all signed, but sounded with applause once again once they had all finished. 

"Welcome back, Avengers,"  the UN official said, smiling at all of them.  They smiled back then turned to the cameras and smiled. 

Tony managed to keep the questions few in number and three hours after arriving, the group was headed back to the Compound.  Tony stayed back to check on something related to Stark Industries, so Happy drove Sam, Wanda, Steve, and Natasha back to the Compound without him.  It wasn't a surprise when they found Tony already back when they arrived.  He'd flown to the Tower in his suit so he could fly back in it. 

"Hey, Tony,"  Steve said, walking into the kitchen.  Tony looked up over the top of his mug, signalling Steve to continue.  "What's going to happen when the government finds out about the RAFT and Ross?" 

"Don't worry,"  Tony told him, setting down his mug.  "I made sure there was no way to trace the explosion back to us." 

"Thanks,"  Steve said.  Tony just shrugged him off and went back to reading on his tablet.  "Oh, and Tony?" 

"Hm?"  Tony hummed, not looking up from his tablet this time. 

"I hope someday we can try to go back to being friends,"  Steve said.  Tony gave him a small smile. 

"Me too, Cap,"  he replied. 


End file.
